Neil Young Files Second Suit Over Trump's Use of His Song
Neil Young has filed a lawsuit against one of Donald Trump's organisations over the unlicensed use of his song Rockin' in the Free World.
The suit was filed on Monday in the US district court for the eastern district of Virginia. Trump's administration has not yet responded.
It is the second time Young has taken action over the song. He first sued in 2020, against the corporation Donald J Trump for President Inc. Trump settled. According to Young's suit, the organisation promised that it "would never again use Rockin' in the Free World without a license and permission from Young".
Reputation claim
The new filing says Trump's ongoing use of the song has left Young with damage to his reputation and brand. It points to the implication that he supports Donald J Trump "in any way".
The case describes the 1989 song as "a blistering anthem that contrasts the hollow promises of American political rhetoric with the harsh realities faced by the poor, homeless and forgotten". It says the song is "the opposite of everything that Donald J Trump stands for".
Young has repeatedly criticised the president in writings on his website. In 2025 he released a protest song about the administration, Big Crime.
Over the past 12 months, the Trump presidency has used songs by leftwing musicians, including Olivia Rodrigo, Sabrina Carpenter and SZA, to soundtrack ICE propaganda or clips about Trump's strategy in Iran. In August, Taylor Swift had her song August removed from a video celebrating the Trump presidency.
Source: The Guardian